Storytelling meets analytics at #MRIA15

This year’s Market Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA) conference in Toronto focused on storytelling, especially for analysts who were urged to think about how data and insights are presented to others. As director of analytics and insights for /newsrooms, I wanted to leave the event with an idea that could benefit everyone. What I noticed, however, was the lack of specifics about how great stories are identified and crafted.

I shared this observation on social media and Sabaa Quao made a good observation about what goes into good story telling.

There are many components to building a good story, but if my work at /newsrooms has taught me anything, it’s that more effort needs to be put into how stories are mined, curated and delivered – especially in the context of marketing. And analysts are a a big part of this process – from start to finish. We have to build a compelling story about what makes our audiences care about a topic and also be able to convey these insights to our editorial teams for the content we create on behalf of brands.

It’s also why /newsrooms is built around experienced journalists, editors, and producers who’ve come from reputable news organizations and publications. We think about news brands all the time. Organizations such as Bloomberg, The New York Times and the FT— they too focus on delivering stories with a particular emphases on accuracy, insight and authority. And often they have to do it at lightning speed. Our approach is similar.

Now while analysts aren’t journalists, the same fundamentals need to be applied in the presentation of data and insights. After #MRIA I have a greater appreciation for the need to bring this all together to be effective as a way to engage audiences.

"The way we do news reporting is how we need to do insights-brands are no longer built in the boardroom" says @MarieLWolfe Unilever #MRIA15

Selin Sheppard

Selin is the Director of Insights and Analytics at /newsrooms. Her team acts as a central node within the organization, feeding editorial and coverage teams with data and insights meant to ensure optimal performance. Her extensive background in digital marketing, media, search and analytics from both an agency and client perspective have proven valuable in merging analytics with creativity in getting the story told.